


by fate

by MC_Lily



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 15:52:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14216580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MC_Lily/pseuds/MC_Lily
Summary: Kliff, Alm, and their relationship, from the start onward."The five of them are huddled up near the fire. Kliff is the youngest, he’s known the others his entire life- he never thinks twice about any physical contact, none of them do. He’s pressed up against Alm’s side, and Alm’s got an arm slung around Kliff’s shoulder. And for some horrible, terrible, reason, Kliff’s heart begins to race.Kliff swears the Earth Mother is out to get him- or at least has a very cruel sense of humor. Alm is a lifelong friend, and Kliff would hate to ruin it by doing something like... liking him."





	by fate

**Author's Note:**

> emetophobia warning: there are brief, as little detailed as possible mentions of vomiting. it happens once, and is mentioned one other time. if this bothers you skip from "the alcohol makes his stomach churn" to "kliff sleeps til noon the next day"- and if even mentions of throwing up are enough to upset you, then please go ahead and skip the whole "kliff has his first real kiss" scene. all you really need to know is that it happens! 
> 
> i didn't tag it as it was minor enough to not warrant one, and it isnt really plot relevant
> 
> there is underage drinking but it isnt a whole big deal either, just one scene. if it bothers you, skip the whole "in the fall" paragraph
> 
> if none of that bothers you, carry on
> 
> this fic is a bit fast paced but it does take them like a year and then some to get together so i think it qualifies as slow burn

Ram Village is in the south of Zofia- winter is near non-existent. It’s always warm enough for short sleeves all year round. But, when the temperature drops, they build a bonfire- they’re always looking for excuses to make bonfires.

 

The five of them are huddled up near the fire. Kliff is the youngest, he’s known the others his entire life- he never thinks twice about any physical contact, none of them do. He’s pressed up against Alm’s side, and Alm’s got an arm slung around Kliff’s shoulder. And for some horrible, terrible, reason, Kliff’s heart begins to race.

 

Kliff swears the Earth Mother is out to get him- or at least has a very cruel sense of humor. Alm is a lifelong friend, and Kliff would hate to ruin it by doing something like... _liking_ him.

 

Winter crawls by slowly, and it feels like with each day Kliff grows fonder and fonder of Alm. His smile, his laugh, those stupid olive eyes that look so gorgeous when the light hit them just so-

 

He’s in deep.

 

It’s summer again. No one else but them is around, Kliff wading (more like kicking around) in the shallows of the river, Alm sitting on the bank.

 

“So I was- I was poking around in the library the other day,” Alm begins.

 

“Yeah?” Kliff says.

 

“Well this one book I’m reading- It has um, two men kissing in it?”

 

 _“Yeah?”_ Kliff says, again.

 

“I may have borrowed it without saying anything,” Alm continues. “It’s about this mercenary leader and his right-hand-man falling in love and fighting. Sometimes at the same time...It’s pretty good, you might like it-”

 

“Alm,” Kliff interrupts. “Are you just giving me a reading recommendation or is there a point to this?”

 

“Oh! Um, I had just. Never thought two men could do that. Kiss, and fall in love. Usually you just hear about men and women doing stuff like that together. Wait- do women fall in love with each other, too?”

 

“Uh, probably.”

 

Alm seems not to really hear him. "Do you think you could? Fall in love with another man?”

 

 _I’ve been trying not to, actually,_ is what Kliff thinks.

 

“Maybe, why?” is what he says.

 

Alm flushes. “N-no particular reason! You’d give me an honest answer any which way, so!” And then Alm sighs. “I’ve been thinking about that for a bit, actually. If I could fall in love with another man like in that book...Kliff, could you promise to keep what I’m about to say a secret?”

 

“Yeah, I promise.”

 

“I think I could fall in love with another man. It sounded nice, in the book. But, I think I could fall in love with a woman just as easily. I don’t know- it’s all so complicated.”

 

“It is.” Kliff says, while his chest tightens.

 

 _What would falling in love with Alm be like?_ Kliff starts to think about being together with Alm- _really_ thinking about it, and before he knows it, he’s started to blush.

 

_(Alm must have noticed, because he’s blushing too. What a mess, really.)_

 

Kliff ends up borrowing the book after Alm finishes it, and he reads it by candlelight, not willing to chance what would happen if his mother were to see him reading it. The cover is innocuous enough, a well-worn leather binding and faux gold embossing making up the title. He’d rather die than have her ask what it was about, though.

 

Alm was right, it’s a good book.

 

Springtime comes, and Kliff has been spending his days sitting under a tree, trying to peel an orange and read a book at the same time. Alm plops down next to him after a while, wincing. Probably fresh off of training from Mycen.

 

“Rough day?”

 

Alm groans. “You have no idea. I skipped out yesterday, which meant double today…”

 

Mycen was always a bit of a hard-ass. Not like Kliff would ever say that out loud, though.

 

Kliff isn’t listening to Alm. Kliff is too focused on how _stupidly_ handsome Alm looks right now, chatting and pulling off his armor. When Alm goes to pull off his turtleneck, Kliff feels helpless- he can’t do anything but watch. His eyes hit a particularly large bruise, and any excitement at seeing the boy he likes shirtless dissipates and is replaced with concern.

 

“How’d you get this one?” Kliff asks, finger hovering just above it, careful not to touch. Alm flushes a little.

 

“Funny story, actually...It was during training- I had gotten knocked off my feet, and ended up banging into a fence pretty hard.”

 

Kliff snorts, because that’s so like Alm.

 

Fall comes, and Kliff has his first kiss. Alm takes a hand to Kliff’s jaw, lifting his chin and pressing their lips together, skin of Ram wine left abandoned on the ground between them. Kliff’s not had _that_ much, but it was enough to make his head a bit fuzzy. Alm’s kiss feels warm and kind of tingly, and Kliff is leaning back into it, wanting more.

 

The alcohol makes his stomach churn.

 

“I think I’m about to-,” He murmurs, before promptly standing up and moving as many paces away from Alm as he can before he retches.

 

Kliff sleeps ‘til the afternoon the next day, head pounding. Neither him or Alm talk about what happened. For a while, everything is normal.

 

Then they go to war.

 

It’s an adjustment, the feel of magic surging through his veins, and the sight of dead bodies littering the battlefields becoming something to adjust to. Kliff cries himself to sleep more than once.

 

In the Deliverance’s mess tent, Alm plops down next to Kliff while he picks at some bread.

 

“Hey, Kliff!” Alm beams. “Are you almost done? Eating, I mean.”

 

The bread is about half gone. Whatever, he’ll have the last half for dinner. “Yeah, why?”

 

“Spar with me? Magic versus sword? How ‘bout it?” Alm looks a little flushed. _Is he blushing?_

 

“Uh...are you sure that’s a good idea?”

 

“Yeah! It’ll be fine!”

 

Kliff lets himself be swept away by Alm, toward the training yard.

 

Kliff, halfway through the sparring match, freaks out.

 

He’s never properly sparred before- magic training is much different than sword training- and for a moment, when Alm swung a bit too wide, Kliff felt like he was on the battlefield. He panicked, and casted a fire spell that was definitely a bit too powerful for a sparring match- It hits Alm square in the chest.

 

Alm lands flat on his ass, and Kliff freaks out again, but for a different reason.

 

“Oof,” Alm grunts as Kliff helps him to his feet. “That one stung.”

 

“Alm I’m- Mila, I didn’t realize-”

 

“Kliff, it’s _okay_. You panicked, it’s fine...”

 

Kliff is only half listening to Alm’s reassurances, busy inspecting Alm and his armor for any visible damage. His armor isn’t melted, but that’s about all Kliff can see.

 

“Can you walk?” Kliff asks, and Alm takes a few experimental steps.

 

“Yeah, no problem.”

 

Kliff walks Alm to the med tent anyway, because he feels horribly guilty.

 

Silque is the only healer on duty right now, and they wait patiently for her to finish up whatever task she’s busy with before she comes over to help.

 

“It was good of you two to come see me straight away,” Silque says, in her calm voice. Kliff likes that about Silque- she’s got a voice that puts him at ease. Which is good, because Kliff’s nerves are a little shot.

 

Kliff’s fireball had hit and left its mark, alright- a big, red, burn right in the middle of Alm’s chest.

 

Kliff feels horrible.

 

Silque talks as she rubs salve on Alm’s burn. “There probably won’t be any scarring,” Silque says, “minimal at most.”

 

Alm is hissing as Silque applies the salve. It looks like it stings. Without thinking, Kliff takes one of Alm’s hands in his, and Alm squeezes Kliff’s hand. Kliff squeezes back and watches Silque methodically rub the salve into Alm’s burn, like she’s done it a hundred times before. She probably has.

 

“All done,” Silque says after a while, and leaves them with instructions for Alm to stay right where he is until the salve has done its job.  

 

“You don’t have to keep holding my hand,” Alm says quietly.

 

“I want to,” Kliff replies.

 

The corners of Alm’s mouth go up, and his face turns a dusty pink. “That’s fine, too.”

 

Alm eats dinner in the med tent, but Kliff goes to the mess to eat (“You need to socialize, Kliff,” Alm says, matter of factly).

 

On the way there, he runs into Gray, who drags him to sit with him, Tobin, and Faye- not like he _wouldn't_   have sat there in the first place.

 

Once they’re all situated, Gray looks over to him with one of those catlike smirks he’s so good at. “So, how’d the date with Alm go?”

 

“ _Date_? Be serious, Gray.” Kliff frowns.

 

“I _am_! Alm got it worked into his head that he’d ask you out on his idea of a date today-”

 

Kliff groans. If that was a date, he messed up _bad_.

 

“So not well?” Faye asks over her soup, eyebrows raised ( _Silque's been rubbing off on her_ , he thinks).

 

“No, it went _great_ , especially the part where I almost killed him. Loved that.”

 

“ _Dude,”_ is all Tobin appears to be able to say.

 

“Okay, now you _have_ to start from the beginning. Go on! Share with us the tale of your terrible first date!” Gray exclaims.

 

Gods in their temples, Kliff is _never_ going to live this one down.

 

Thankfully, Alm’s back on his feet by next march. They’re nearing the Rigelian border, and the temperature is beginning to drop.

 

“So, _sparring_ is your idea of a date?” Kliff asks, falling into step next to Alm.

 

“I- uh,” Alm says, eloquently. He’s red in the face.

 

“At least do something _normal_ next time- like dinner. Knowing I’m going on a date beforehand would be alright, too.”

 

“Sorry…” A beat of silence. “Um, next time?”

 

“Next time,” Kliff nods. “Unless my almost melting a hole in your chest scared you off. “

 

“No! Not at all! I’m made of tougher stuff than _fire_!” To accentuate this point, Alm thumps his chest, then winces.

 

“Still tender?”

 

“...Yeah.”

 

Despite himself, Kliff laughs. Only a little, though.

 

They have their first kiss (because that time with the wine and the vomiting _never_ happened, shut _up_ ) in Rigel. Their lips are chapped due to the dry air, and Kliff accidentally slams his face into Alm’s jaw, but aside from that it’s probably the best kiss Kliff has ever had.

 

“I think you get bonus points for not throwing up this time,” Alm murmurs when they pull apart.

 

“I’m never going to kiss you ever again, just for that.” Kliff huffs.

 

Alm looks more and more like some kind of ghost than he does himself after the battle against Duma. The Rigelian and Zofian courtiers are preparing him to be king, but Alm looks farther and farther away every time someone mentions Rudolf, or even calls him _Prince Albein._

 

Kliff has made a habit of spending an hour or two with Alm in the evenings. They mostly talk, although some days they’ll just sit in front of the fire and Kliff will read quietly while Alm holds his hand.

 

It’s been a long day today, Kliff can see it in the bags under Alm’s eyes.

 

“You don’t want to be king,” Kliff says.

 

“...No. But I have to be.” Alm sighs, pulling off his boots.

 

“I have an idea. Hear me out?” Kliff asks, and waits until Alm nods to continue. “Let’s just...leave. Grab a boat to Archanea. Find some little hamlet where it’s warm- we could settle down. Even get a cat.”

 

“You don’t really even like cats,” Alm says.

 

“ _You_ do,” Says Kliff, “And I really like you.”

 

“I couldn’t-”

 

“You want to.”

 

“I couldn’t leave Celica alone to rule all of Valentia like that.”

 

“You wouldn’t be. You know that.”

 

The conversation lulls. Alm looks...conflicted.

 

Kliff sits next to Alm on the bed, putting his head on Alm’s shoulder and intertwining their fingers.

 

“I’m worried about you.” Kliff’s voice is quieter than he intended. “I want you to be happy.”

 

“Valentia needs me...I can’t just _leave_.” Alm looks so, so tired.

 

“Valentia makes you _miserable,_ Alm. Would you think about it, at least?”

 

“I can’t promise more than that.”

 

“I know,” Kliff whispers.

 

A month passes. They see less of each other- Alm is ushering in the age of men and someone’s always got _something_ that they want Kliff to do. Loathe he is to admit it out loud, but Kliff misses Alm. Predictably, it only takes about a week for that loneliness to manifest itself in ugly ways- he gets jealous when Alm goes off to meet with chancellors, he’s angry with Alm for leaving him so often, and Kliff feels guilty for all of it, because he should know better. Kliff starts to spend his free time brooding. It makes him feel worse, and Kliff becomes even more testy than usual.

 

He finally snaps one night after dinner. They’re at the very least alone, so he doesn't make a scene.

 

“I know I haven’t been around as much as I used to,” Alm rubs the bridge of his nose, “-but what I’m doing is _important,_ Kliff-”

 

“I know! I _know_ the damn kingdom is important, but what about _me_? Aren’t I important to you, too?” Kliff isn’t a yeller, but he feels dangerously close to.

 

“You _are,_ Kliff, but you have to understand!” Alm sighs. “Can we not do this right now? I’m tired.”

 

“That’s the same excuse you used last time! It’s always _tired_ with you! Always too tired to spend even a half hour with me! All I’m asking you is to just be _with_ me! Is that too much? Or do you really ha-”

 

“Kliff, _stop._ Just, _stop_ , okay? I can’t deal with you right now- you need to go cool off.”

 

Alm doesn't let Kliff get the last word in- he just _leaves_ . Kliff is livid. He decides that _fine, two people can play at this game,_ and storms off to his own room.

 

They don’t speak at all for another week. Kliff knows it’s his fault, but stubbornly keeps his silence. He’s being incredibly immature, he knows, but he just can’t help himself- being the bigger person is a lot more difficult than it sounds.

 

Alm approaches him in the library after the eighth day of silence. Kliff is curled up in an armchair, reading, and Alm sits beside him. His first thought is to get up and leave, but Kliff is tired of being upset with Alm. Kliff doesn't get up and leave, but he doesn't look at Alm either. His eyes move over the same sentence over and over again.

 

“Look, Kliff- I’m sorry I’m not making an effort to spend time with you. I missed you too, you know...but it’s- it’s hard. There’s just a lot going on right now…”

 

Kliff closes his book around his hand so as not to lose his page. “I should have said something about...about how I was feeling earlier. I just sat on it until I was so upset that I took it all out on you and I said horrible things to you and ignored you and- and...” Kliff swallows. “I- I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s okay. We’ll do better next time, and we’ll both talk about how we’re feeling and- It’s _okay_ , Kliff, I promise, I’m not upset at you anymore- _please_ stop crying, It’s okay-”

 

Kliff nods. “It’s okay. I’m just- I’m feeling a lot of things right now.”

 

Alm begins to laugh. “Yeah,” he says, “Yeah! Me too!”

 

Despite himself, Kliff starts to laugh as well ( _and what a sight he must make, sobbing and laughing at the same time_ ).

 

After the laughter subsides, Alm looks at Kliff contemplatively. “Hey,” he mumbles.

 

“Hey yourself,” Kliff says back.

 

“Do you remember what you said about going to Archanea?”

 

“Mmhm,” Kliff hums, “I do. Something about a cottage and getting a cat?”

“Maybe we could have three-”

 

“Pushing it,” Kliff says.

 

“I’m standing my ground on that one. But I think we should do it.”

 

“ _Can_ we do it, though?”

 

“I think we can.”

 

Kliff looks over at Alm. He’s got that look in his eye- Kliff recognizes it. Alm had the exact same look in his eye when he said he was going to climb the tallest tree in Ram (the oranges up at the top were the best ones, always). He had fallen and broken his arm then, but Kliff thinks there won’t be any arm breaking this time around- metaphorical _or_ physical.

 

Four months is how long it takes them to be able to snag a boat to Archanea. There are a lot of teary goodbyes, and Kliff makes promises to write as often as possible to Gray, Tobin, and Faye.

 

Unexpectedly, he gets a hug goodbye from Celica. It’s a bit odd- they were never that close as children, and weren’t close now. She puts a hand on his cheek, and Kliff feels a bit like she’s a mother.

 

“Take care of yourself,” She says quietly, “I know we aren’t close, but, would you write? I wouldn’t mind if you just wrote in greetings on the ends of Alm’s letters.”

 

“I can do that- both of the things you asked. You and your ‘special friend’- Mae, was it? Try not to let Valentia burn while we’re gone.”

 

Celica hums amusedly, bringing her hand from Kliff’s face to clutch at her neck piece. “We’ll see about that one. Safe travels, Kliff.”

 

They settle in Aurelis, in a village near the border between it and Khadein. They do get a cat- gray stripes and white feet, just a little fat. Kliff works on his magic (tricks, mostly, but they’re fun and he’s so close to getting a violin to tune _and_ play itself), while Alm finds steady work as part of the village guard. There’s an old couple who run the local bakery and they always give Alm a fresh loaf of bread whether he wants it or not, and the children always bother Kliff about showing and teaching them magic. Kliff finds himself, in his opinion, a surprisingly good teacher. He’s fond of the kids- his students, which probably helps well enough.

 

“Are you happy here?” Kliff asks Alm one evening, while they watch the sun go down from behind their house.

 

“I am. I really am.” Alm says, grabbing Kliff’s hand.

 

“That’s good. I am too. I wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my life like this.”

 

“Mm. Rest of our lives...I wouldn’t mind that, either.”

 

They’re both quiet for a while. Kliff looks over at Alm, and Sir Purr (because _that_ was the hill Alm was willing to die on, apparently) is on his lap, kneading one of his thighs.

 

“How can you stand that?” Kliff asks.

 

“He does it because he loves me,” Alm insists, scratching the cat behind his ears. 

**Author's Note:**

> i realize now that in the rest of the fic after kliff says he's never gonna kiss alm ever again there is not a single kiss scene, ever. rest assured that kliff does not make good on his promise and they smooch off camera. kissing was just a bit too difficult to work into the following scenes and so they didnt
> 
> whew!! this is the longest fic ive ever written! im very proud of myself
> 
> misc headcanons, in case u want to hear more:
> 
> kliff absolutely hates it when sir purr licks him. freaks him out
> 
> they do not fight in the second archanean war...they just keep the village & villagers safe as best they can
> 
> alm likes to tell moderately embellished stories of his bravery to the children. kliff likes to point the embellishments out to the children. the kids think it's hilarious
> 
> mae and celica are fantastic queens
> 
> also while i like. barely hint at it silque/faye is real and they travel valentia helping folks in need after the war
> 
> celica and kliff eventually become excellent pen pals. trust
> 
> uhhh i think that's it for now! tell me what you think!


End file.
